As an example of a conventional inverter circuit, there exists a below-described switching circuit which is usable for controlling large electric power with reduced power loss.
This switching circuit includes a series circuit configured with a silicon (Si) transistor and a non-Si transistor which are connected in series, wherein the Si transistor has a conversion capability of 0.1 kVA to 200 kVA and the non-Si transistor is made up of a silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor element. Such a series connection of the two transistors serves to improve withstand voltage of the entirety of the series circuit, and high-speed operation of the non-Si transistor makes it possible to reduce switching loss of the entirety of the series circuit. (Refer to Patent Document 1, for example.)